Offer Declined
by Silver-09
Summary: Marinette had been made a once in a lifetime offer. She thought she had a choice.
1. Prologue

Offer Declined  
 **  
Summary:**  
Marinette has been made a once in a lifetime offer. She thought she had a choice.

 **Disclaimer:** Not a penny to my name, did you really think I could afford these high-end characters.  
 **A/N:** Going by the fact that the episodes do not have an exact order, this will after the events of all episodes, but most definitely after the attacks of Bubbler, Evillustrator, and Mr. Pigeon.

* * *

14 September 2012, 20:35.

To anyone else it would have been strange. To the Lucky Duo and the civilians of Paris. It had become their standard routine. However, that night was one they would not soon forget. Ladybug and Chat Noir had finished off yet another patrol. Yet another akumatized victim cleansed of evil.

Countless victories for them and countless defeats for Hawkmoth. Just when would he learn that good will always prevail over evil.

Well, almost _always_. . .

* * *

15 September 2012, 00:23.

[Marinette's room]

The second abnormality from the usual routine was when Tikki found herself awake earlier than usual.

Sure, she was an immortal spirit, but that didn't mean she didn't like to entertain the idea of sleep. Hey, one of her favorite dreams had been an endless, wonderlandiful world of sweets and she had been the queen.

* * *

The first abnormality, Tikki later realized had been the lack of Sabine or Tom doing their own usual routine of checking in on their daughter's activities or their unpredictable but still usual restlessness. Tikki had existed longer than most mortals would ever dream of. She had known this family longer than most Kwami knew their chosen ones. She had never told Marinette everything she knew, concluding the humans' saying of ignorance is bliss.

As the quiet seconds ticked by, Tikki began to think ignorance was not bliss. She crossed that thought off when she finally heard shuffling down below and the sickingly sweet smell of something baking.

She closed her eyes with a smile, wondering what amazing surprise would await Marinette for breakfast come morning.

* * *

The third abnormality,

. . .

that morning would never come.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** If I had a nickel for every time you thought I owned characters, then I could afford a school lunch.

Chapter 1

* * *

16 September 1996, 03:20.

They often said, "The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree". Truer words could not have been spoken for Sabine, Minette, Felicia and Marlena. They had met at early ages and became inseparable. Like most they made wagers on whose child would come first. The next in line, would have to name their child after the winner. The same would have been true for their next generation, had fate not decided to rip an element away. Minette hadn't been so lucky on the first try, she was still happy for her friends anyhow. The jury of her peers decided it justified to name the first born after her, Sabine's was the lucky one. In more ways than one.

* * *

14 September 2012, 20:37.

From anyone else there would have been choice words. To these childhood pairs of best friends and their network of families and friends. It was the secrets that kept their bond at its strongest. After all, time had been running down on the finishing touches to their grand plan. Yet another day of preparation. Yet another night closer to the reward.

[Hallway entrance, Second floor]

Tom, Minette, and Sabine had just finished a group text conference with Marlena regarding their upcoming plans. They could never be too careful, and for good reason. The halls had plenty of eyes and ears that might spoil the surprise, Manon in particular. After they had bid the duo a safe trip and good night, the couple had gone about their usual routine of powering down and unplugging appliances that were not in use before they headed off to bed. Tom double checked that everyone was accounted for, while Sabine listened for their daughter's re-entrance. Satisfied and bidding her a good night's rest, they headed to their own room.

* * *

14 September 2012, 21:40.

[Marinette's room]

Per her usual routine, Marinette had wrapped up her nightly update chat from her ecstatic friend Alya on the Lucky Duo's latest victory. Indulging both her friend and the invitation of rest, she had found herself drifting off easily, with one last _sweet dreams_ to Tikki. Unaware of the side group chat Alya still had open with mutual for the upcoming weekend.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Excuse me, did someone drop a nickel? . . . Oh, this is a candy nickel, thanks! Sweet, this can buy me dessert for lunch. Oh dear sweet Havarti, wait for Plagg. 

Chapter 2

* * *

06 December 1996, 01:12.

It was simply, well _scientifically_ , unconceivable. Gabriel couldn't wrap his head around it. One moment, his darling Felicia had been the model picture of a healthy mother-to-be. The next, she had been crumpled in a heap of painstaking agony, screaming of the woes that had befallen their baby to their friend Sabine. After the horrific rush to the hospital, Sabine and Felicia decided it was time to let one secret go. Gabriel would never forgive that butterfly for what they had inflicted on his family. Three hours and a caesarean later, the tight-knit family was introduced to a premature, yet lovely all the same, baby boy. He had counted them lucky.

* * *

14 February 2008, 15:29.

His mom had just wrapped up today's lessons. She told him she had one last surprise to retrieve for his dad, so she needed to step out for a little while. That left him at his extended recess period of the day's schedule. Eleven year-old Adrien had never understood why his parents insisted on homeschooling him. From what he had seen on his favorite shows, public and private schools couldn't possibly be that bad. Speaking of which, the Code Lyoko marathon was about to begin. Surely, his parents wouldn't be that mad at him if he indulged the television a little longer than his homework. He was six episodes in when his dad had ran in and out of the house in a blur.

* * *

15 February 2008, 10:12.

Adrien had fallen into a whimsical sleep after the last episode, dreaming of himself in school right alongside the Lyoko warriors. He had awoken about half an hour ago, to speed through his homework. So long as it was done they wouldn't be mad at him, right? Strange, another hour had ticked by with no sign of his parents or today's lesson. They must've been mad at him. Around one, Nathalie had come in to handle the day's schedule. Even stranger, she had red eyes and streaks on her face. She had informed him later that night that in three years' time he would be enrolled in public school and that today would be his last at-home lesson. His parents weren't back yet.

* * *

09 August 2011, 07:15.

Whatever he had expected of public school. This was certainly not it. No offense, he had made friends rather quickly. Maybe, it was the way the day had flowed. Sometimes he saw his friend the entire class. Others barely at all. No one particularly seemed, well, _happy_ about going to school. Was there something he was missing? Was school not what they had expected as well? Then again, he was the black sheep. Everyone else had been at this _way_ longer than he had. He pushed those thoughts aside when his friend Nino clasped his shoulder. School would be just fine, well at least until his dad came to pick him up for the next event on the schedule.

* * *

15 September 2012, 00:27.

When they had arrived on the scene, this was definitely not what they had wanted today's first report to be. Nadja didn't want to believe what she was seeing. It had to be a nightmare that didn't want to let go. Smoke shading the sky in various hues against the blaring sirens' lights. She had a duty as a news anchor to report to the people of Paris. Agent Roger had been amongst the first of the emergency responders sent out to secure the scene and protect as many civilians as possible as was his duty. The sweet smell was coating most of the 21st arrondissement. That's why they were here to report, but as chain links in a group of childhood friends, they felt sick to their stomachs.

* * *

15 September 2012, 00:34.

Fire crews deemed the building as safe to enter thirty minutes after midnight. Friends, strangers, and bystanders alike looked on with mixed emotions as three black bags were carted out of the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie.


End file.
